FRANK REECE

WWII Bomber Pilot

Frank Reece from New Zealand was a Bristol Blenheim pilot for the RAF during World War II. He was shot down over France, where he and his crew joined the French Resistance to try and return to England via Spain.

After 6 weeks on the run he was captured and sent to Fresnes Prison a Gestapo run facility near Versailles being classified as a 'spy' where he was held in solitary confinement in appalling conditions for 3 months until (due to his protests) he was taken into custody of the Luftwaffe.

After being shifted around various holding camps Frank ended up in Stalug Luft III the Allied Air Force camp in Poland where the famous "Great Escape" took place. Frank was heavily involved in the escape plan and had the position of 129th to go through the tunnel however the escape was accidentally discovered by a guard at around the 80th man mark.
50 of the excapees were executed on direct orders from Hitler.